UA Adapted Athletics to Celebrate Documentary of 2014-15 Teams

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama Adapted Athletics program will celebrate the debut of “This is How We Roll,” a documentary series about its men’s and women’s basketball teams, during a red carpet premiere Wednesday, Oct. 26, at the Bama Theatre.

UA Adapted Athletics partnered with Power 10 Films to produce a 10-episode series chronicling the 2014-15 men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball teams, the latter of which went 24-3 and won the national championship.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UA and the College of Continuing Studies UA are sponsoring the event, which will include a screening of the first two 30-minute episodes. The premiere will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 and available at champions.ua.edu

“Events like the premiere and a product like the documentary will surely increase awareness of our program and certainly help us in our mission of raising expectations about all college athletes with disabilities,” said Dr. Brent Hardin, director of UA Adapted Athletics. “We have found that when people become aware of our athletes they are impressed and want to be involved.”

Wheelchair basketball players at the event will give away posters and schedule magnets and sign autographs. UA mascot Big Al also will be in attendance. Additionally, UA women’s basketball coach Kristy Curry will attend the premiere.

Each 30-minute episode follows the student-athletes as they prepare for each game, exploring every aspect of training, competition and student life. The cast features the 2015 Alabama Wheelchair Basketball teams, with former players Caitlin McDermott and Jannik Blair in starring roles.

Online release of the series will be announced at a later date.

“Obviously, our primary goal is to get people familiar and excited about wheelchair basketball,” said Daniel Koenig, director of the series. “Additionally, I think being able to see the daily lifestyle of the different student-athletes will be very interesting for viewers. The series has a bit of a raw, real view into their lives, and I’m excited for people to get the opportunity to join the athletes on their journey to a championship.”

The series is the second film project Power 10 and Koenig have produced that’s featured a UA athlete or coach. Earlier this year, Power 10 released “Trials: Finding the Medal,” a film that documented Adapted Athletics Associate Director Dr. Margaret Stran’s efforts to qualify for a spot on the U.S. National Rowing Team.

Hardin said he anticipates Adapted Athletics moving into its recently announced $10 million training facility and competition venue in Oct. 2017. The facility will be located at the UA Rec Center on campus.

“Margaret and I are really pleased with how far the program has come since we started in 2003,” Hardin said. “Sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of that. We are really proud to be at a university that values students with disabilities and thankful for the support that the administration has put behind our program.  One of the things Margaret and I say a lot is that ‘we have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.’”

Both teams will open the 2016-17 season with a double-header on Oct. 29 at the UA Rec Center. Games are at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.